a long-spanning thread to show you some examples of contemporary architecture in estonia. the intention is not only to show you the most fascinating objects, but the more ordinary and maybe even ugly stuff as well. please keep in mind that it's not my intention to introduce only the big and chic, fancy-pancy bright glassy-classy architecture. the emphasis is on younger generation estonian architects, i.e. born in 1960's / 1970's / 1980's.

and i have to warn you - all my photos are big files [and 1024 pixels wide], therefore loading may take a bit time. but you can always post a lot of comments to avoid too many photos on one page

it's a mixed development comprising apartments and a small art gallery, which emphasises on modern estonian art. the complex is converted from the "norma" metal factory, which gave reason to use metal on the building's facade as a decorative element.

entrance to the art gallery. the interior is also very interesting, as are the exhibitions. image hosted on flickr

the complex was designed by the young estonian architect harry klaar [b. 1975]. he's quite known for his "fun", or at least not very serious style. his office's [on arhitektid] homepage can be found here: http://www.onarhitektid.ee/.

it's an exemplary development with custom-made [hmm, or at least not your typical] wavy zigzag fence and beautiful lanterns. image hosted on flickr

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the complex is situated in northern tallinn, in kalamaja [address: jahu 12], a fantastic old suburb with ~2-storey wooden buildings mostly dating back to 1900's to 1930's. kalamaja is the best thing in tallinn, if you ask me (:

here's a fantastic new building just a few hundred meters from artdepoo shown above. it's a residential building with some office space, located on noole street [address: noole 4/6/8], completed in 2007. image hosted on flickr

but i have to tell you! it doesn't appeal too much to me in photos... quite the contrary... but! in reality, i mean, being there and seeing it with my own eyes - then it's absolutely amazing! the more i see it, the more i fall in love with it! image hosted on flickr

i adore its choice of materials! the foundation belongs to an old industrial [?] building which was a wreck... after the grey stone comes bright yellow wood, then rusty corten steel...

the building is the first one in a serie of new apartment buildings in the area. an old harbor with its historical hydroplane hangars is just some 100 meters from here... the whole area will soon be developed into high-class multifunctional district...image hosted on flickr

the building was designed in the office eek & mutso by the architects margit mutso [b. 1966] and kristi põldme.image hosted on flickr

a private dwelling on naeri street in tallinn. the building was completed in 2005 and has since then attracted some minor international attention.

just like the buildings shown above, this one is also located in an old slum-like neighborhood, but this time - very close to downtown. the area [veerenni] mostly consists of early 1900's small wooden buildings, there's also a huge hospital complex and many cemeteries in proximity.

this is pretty much all that you can see from the street. the garden and a bit of the building is visible only if looking at a 90-degree angle. the tall metal fence seems very cold and uninviting, unfriendly even...image hosted on flickr

that's why it's a guaranteed surprise to enter the premise. what a little minimalistic paradise it hides! the building extends deep into the plot. image hosted on flickr

looking towards the street. a little car shade, a hobby room and some maintenance areas or something like that... image hosted on flickr

^haha, don't worry, the buildings shown above are far from the local mainstream architecture (:

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some very crappy photos of a school gymnasium in pärnu [address: kuninga 29), the summer capital of estonia.

finished in 2005, the building was designed by some of my most favorite estonian architects: siiri vallner (b. 1972), katrin koov (b. 1973), kaire nõmm (b. 1971) and heidi urb from the all-female kavakava architectural office.

the main building of the school is to the left.

it's clear why the architects have chosen red brick as the facade material.

the whole facade is dotted with these openings. in the evenings when the interior is lighted, it leaves a very-very cool effect.

another pearl from the town of pärnu. it's an apartment building [address: aisa 2] completed in 2003. again, an exemplary new structure in a historical settlement. designed in the pärnu-based office luhse & tuhal, by architects ra luhse (b. 1964) and tanel tuhal (b. 1967).

the grey venetian blinds add a very simple and yet artistic, kind of an abstract touch to it.

the shape of the building, its corner "tower", volume, is directly influenced by the adjacent historical villa grandt, dating back to 1907 and renovated by the same architects.

it may not be the average beauty contest winner, but i really like its elegant and unpretentious modernity.